Where to Get Creative in Baltimore: Art, Dance, Cooking Classes & More

Baltimore attracts creatives thanks to its rich history, diversity, the prestigious Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and the cheaper cost of living. Here are the best places in Baltimore to get creative through art, cooking, dance, improv classes, and more! A few offer scholarships for financial need.

For Baltimore residents not enrolled as university students, MICA offers a variety of community-based and professional art classes and workshops through its Open Studies program. There are courses for adults and youth at all skill levels covering over a dozen art mediums, like painting, drawing, design, sculpture, printmaking, and photography. It’s a great way to explore new fields or refine your craft!

Baltimore Clayworks offers pottery and sculpture courses for beginners to advanced ceramicists of all ages. Their workshops cover hand-building, wheel throwing, glazing techniques, and kiln firing. You can do a 2-month course (I really enjoyed the one I did for beginners!) or a one-time 3-hour workshop.

The Walters’ Art Museum offers free art-making workshops, talks, and lectures inspired by its vast collection of historic artwork. They host free Make and Mingle nights, where community members come together to create and socialize, and sketching sessions once a month. I love the sketching classes where you’re taught to recreate world-class art on display, all while a classical musician plays music!

Baltimore Chef Shop is a teaching kitchen offering hands-on cooking classes. They have one-day workshops where you learn to cook a multi-course meal or a more time-consuming single dish like paella or macaroons. They also have multi-day technique classes on topics like baking and regional Italian cuisine. I always enjoy classes at Baltimore Chef Shop. They fill up far in advance, so book early.

Open Works is a nonprofit with a mission to make tools, technology, and the knowledge to use them accessible to all. They have courses and workshops for youth, adults, and seniors, offering scholarships for those with financial need. You can learn anything from woodworking to sewing and 3D printing. One of my favorite Open Works workshops is their gingerbread rowhouse-making class during the holidays.

Station North Tool Library is a nonprofit that seeks to empower all people to improve their lives and environments through affordable access to tools, skills, and workspace. They offer over 3,000 tools, 30 classes, a public woodworking shop, a dedicated DIY workspace, and a home repair classroom. There are skill-building classes to learn about plumbing, gardening, tiling, composting, weaving, and so much more. You can also do a workshop where you create something like a knife, wooden cutting board, or soap.

Mobtown Ballroom is a community café by day and an arts and dance venue (with a full bar) by night! Their popular swing dancing classes are taught in a six-week series by some of the best teachers in the region. You can also do a drop-in class and then practice what you learned when the floor opens to all!

Baltimore Improv Group (BIG) offers a variety of improv, comedy, and acting courses for people of all ages. They have short workshops or seven-week courses and provide scholarships for those with financial need to support diversity in comedy. I haven’t done a class with BIG, but heard great things.

Creative Alliance is a nonprofit, community-based art and cultural center hosting year-round performances, workshops, and events like the annual Baltimore Kite Festival. They offer classes on art, meditation, improv, belly dancing, burlesque, and more. They also have a program called Creative Immigrant Educators of Latin American Origin (CIELO) that works to share and celebrate Latin American tradition and culture. A Creative Alliance membership is a unique gift for anyone living in Baltimore!